The Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock 401 years ago, on November 6. Those brave souls endured two long months at sea. When they arrived, they were tired and hungry but determined to create a new life in the new world.
About half of those traveling with them died during their first winter from exposure, disease, and hunger. They persevered by strengthening their trust in God and by forming friendships with the indigenous Wampanoag Tribe. The following year, after a successful harvest, 53 Pilgrims and 90 Native Americans celebrated the first day of Thanksgiving in America.
This historical event has been repeated over the centuries. Almost all the Presidents called the nation to prayer and thanksgiving.
President George Washington announced National Thanksgiving Day on October 3, 1787. He wrote, "While it is the duty of the whole world to acknowledge the sovereignty of Almighty God, to obey his will, to appreciate his benefits, and to humbly ask for His protection and mercy ... for the protection and happiness of the people ... so that they may receive the sign of mercy and the abundance of mercy, as well as the good words of his Master ... in which we have been blessed ... and generally with all the great and varied blessings he is pleased to give us. ”
The proclamation made by President Lincoln on October 3, 1863, called on his fellow Americans to thank him for “the blessings of the fruitful fields and the healthful skies” and for the “careful guidance of Almighty God.”
In his proclamation of National Thanksgiving Day on October 25, 1887, President Grover Cleveland reminded the American people of “the goodness and mercy of God that has followed the American people over the past year ... all work and work must be stopped ... all that He has done. ”
The proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson, dated October 23, 1913, summed up the following lines: “The time is at hand to repent and praise Almighty God for his many blessings to us as a nation ... Righteousness exalts nation and peace on earth. kindness to humans provides the only basis on which human progress can be made. ”
In his 1987 proclamation, President Regan reminded us, "Confession of trust in the grace of God was, in fact, the first business plan of our fledgling Nation. Despite disagreements between them as they began their work, they found the same words in Psalm 35, which concludes with the words of joy: "My tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long."
These presidential proclamations, and many others, reflect the essence of our national motto: In God We Trust. Psalm 33:12 says: “Happy is the nation whose God is Jehovah!” From our Bill of Rights to our rich world, the American people have been richly blessed. Let us always remember the foundation on which our country was built, and let us be determined to keep America beautiful in a hopeful spirit of gratitude for the many blessings of God.
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